Implanet, a manufacturer of implantable medical devices, has selected IBM (NYSE: IBM) sensor technology as the foundation for BeepN'Track, a new service that traces the movement of Implanet's products - including knee and hip implants - across its supply chain to hospitals.
Spiraling medical costs and growing demand for medical care present the health care industry with unprecedented challenges. To meet the cost and quality expectations of the hospitals it serves, Implanet is infusing its operations with new intelligence to reduce the costs associated with human error, out-of-stock products, and supply chain inefficiencies while offering the best possible medical devices and supporting services.
By offering a line of products that are completely traceable, Implanet gives health care providers the peace of mind that comes with being able to easily identify patients whose implanted medical devices are the subject of a recall.
Prior to the creation of its new system, Implanet had no means of tracking its products once they left its manufacturing facilities. This meant the company's medical devices were difficult to trace once shipped.
The company's BeepN'Track service uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags to track medical devices from Implanet to hospitals. Prior to shipping, Implanet affixes an RFID tag bearing a unique serial number to the packaging of each individual device. Before a surgical procedure takes place, a hospital uses a handheld device to scan the tag from the medical device being implanted and stores that information along with the patient's records. The tag is given to the patient after surgery so he or she will have all available information concerning the implant in the event of future concerns.